THE VIXEUT.] 



PRACTICE OF HORTICULTUEE. 



[peach-house. 



dred smaller ones, making the same aggregate 

 weight, equally ia a state of maturity, the pre- 

 ponderance ill the scale of merit will be given, 

 I apprehend, by all competent judges, to the 

 filtv berries instead of the hundred. If, then, 

 we are to consider the maximum of merit to 

 consist in the attainment of the largest- sized 

 fruit, this can be best accomplished by having 

 the vine in a vigorous and flourishing state." 

 This condition is, according to this eminent 

 man, to be attained, provided all other circum- 

 stances are favourable, by the alternate system 

 of fruiting one shoot every year, to be cut 

 down at the winter pruning, for the purpose 

 of furnishing a shoot to succeed it in the fol- 

 lowing year. This is neither more nor less 

 than what McPhail denominates the long or 

 new method of pruning, and what Mr. Speechly 

 called the alternate system. Mr. Loudon 

 agrees with the system advocated by Mr. 

 Liudley. 



As to the soil for a vinery, it ia recom- 

 mended that the front border should be fresh 

 and rich. It should not exceed 2h feet in 

 depth, and should be laid over a vaulted foun- 

 dation, or one rendered perfectly dry by 

 drainage; and all borders of forcing-houses 

 should be elevated in height equal to their 

 depth above the general ground-level. The 

 soil, however, is not of such importance as the 

 obtaining of a dry bottom, which may be 

 secured by using the following ingredients: — 

 Oue-half of good loamy soil with its turf, one 

 quarter of rich old dung, and one quarter of 

 brick and lime rubbish ; the turf well rotted, 

 aud the whole well mixed. Plants raised 

 from eyes, and prepared for two years in pots, 

 are preferable for a vinery ; and when planted 

 inside the house, there ought not to be fewer 

 than two plants to each four feet of space. 



In forcing grapes, the kinds should be as- 

 sorted according to the order in which they 

 ripen. Thus the Muscadines, Chasselas 

 Musque, and Hamburghs, should be planted in 

 a house by themselves, as being the first or 

 earliest in order ; the Prontignans, being of a 

 medium character, may occupy a second ; while 

 the Tokay, the Muscat of Alexandria, Nice, 

 Syrian, Barbarossa, and others would be suit- 

 able for a third. These, if planted in order, 

 Will succeed each other, and keep the table 

 well supplied. 

 \)70 



THE PEACH-HOUSE. 



Peach-houses, constructed in what is known 

 as the lean-to form, and intended to be heated 

 by one furnace, have usually the dimensions 

 of forty feet in length, ten or twelve in width, 

 and a height of forty feet. These, however, 

 may be considerably varied, according to the 

 time at which the crop is desired to be brought 

 into season. Por early forcing, it has been 

 suggested that twenty-five or thirty feet in 

 length, and seven or eight in breadth, are suf- 

 ficient ; whilst a house in which the operations 

 of nature are only to be slightly assisted, may 

 be extended to fifty feet. Por peaches, as for 

 vines, the span-and-ridge and furrowed roofed 

 buildings are equally adapted, as in them the 

 trees can be treated as standards, which is 

 their natural habit. Besides, the fruit obtains 

 a more favourable position, in so far as respects 

 air and light, than it can obtain under any 

 other form of house-training. 



In the forcing-house, the pruning and train- 

 ing of peach trees does not materially differ 

 from the practice followed in the open air. 

 " Pire-heat is commonly applied about the 

 beginning or middle of Pebruary ; but where 

 there is a large suite of houses, and an ex- 

 tended succession is wanted, forcing, as it then 

 truly becomes, may begin a month sooner. 

 At first the temperature is kept at 45° ; but it 

 is afterwards gradually increased to 50° or 

 55° Pahrenheit. While the trees are in flower, 

 and till the fruit be set, the house is occa- 

 sionally steamed by sprinkling water on the 

 warm pipes; but, much belter, by placing 

 shallow troughs of water so as partly to sur- 

 round the lower or returning pipe, the lower 

 pipes being less heated than the upper ones. 

 After this period the foliage is washed, from 

 time to time, with the garden engine. When 

 the fruit has stoned, or the kernels have been 

 formed, the temperature is raised to about 

 G0°." Water is then plentifully supplied 

 to the border, the fruit thinned out, the 

 different operations of disbudding and tying 

 are performed, aud air admitted in abundance. 

 After the end of April little fire is required for 

 the peach-house. 



The best soils for fruit trees, generally, are 

 such as are open and well drained, in order 

 that the air may get freely into the roots. 



